Humanity’s desire to keep useful gadgets as close to themselves as possible, started as early as the 16th century, where the Qing Dynasty in China introduced the first fully functional abacus ring. This desire stayed with us throughout the decades and centuries and manifested itself in the inventions of such technology as the first wristwatch …

About two weeks ago, the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) completed for this year its showcase of the very latest in high-tech electronics, from wearable electronics to curved-screen phones to extremely high-definition 4K televisions. But it’s interesting that, according to a survey from Fortune magazine, many Americans have a much simpler wish than to own …

Humanity’s desire to keep useful gadgets as close to themselves as possible, started as early as the 16th century, where the Qing Dynasty in China introduced the first fully functional abacus ring. This desire stayed with us throughout the decades and centuries and manifested itself in the inventions of such technology as the first wristwatch in 1810, the timing devices hidden in shoes to cheat at roulette in the ‘60s, and the first widely used wearable electronics, the calculator watch of the 1980s.

While in hindsight these ideas seem a bit ridiculous, it’s a fact (according to a GlobalWebIndex poll from last year1) that 71% of the 16-24 year old population wants to own some form of wearable technology: a smartwatch, wristband or Google Glass, for example. With the advancement of computers and electronics, we will be able to keep our beloved phones, cat videos and family pictures closer and closer to our hearts, quite literally. Let’s just take a look at what kinds of wearable electronics are currently in development or on the market.

The most obvious choice of this century would be the electronic wristbands and smartwatches. Their use is becoming more and more prominent in the business world and those with a wish to live and stay healthy – or trendy. You can keep track of your important meetings, emails, text messages and notes, you can even accept and initiate calls without taking the cell phone out of your pocket. You can see your heartrate, the distance you walked, the amount of fat you burned, just by touching the tiny screen on your arm. Major brands all over the globe already have their own versions of these gadgets and the boom is just about to begin.
For those individuals who’d like to keep entertainment within arm’s reach (or even closer), there are also multiple options already out there: the aforementioned Google Glass is just one example, but we could talk about hoodies with built in earphones, ties and sunglasses with integrated recording equipment, or even light-up apparel like shirts, pants or underwear.

But this wearable trend isn’t only for work or to show off. Several, more professional, health-related devices are in development, like wearable thermometers and shirts with integrated sensors for those with certain heart conditions. This shirt, for example, connects to an app on our smartphones that monitors our physical condition and alerts if anything out of the ordinary is experienced – it can even contact the hospital in case of an emergency. As an added bonus, it’s machine washable2.

There are also experiments with electronics that could help people with certain medical conditions be more self-sufficient, most prominently flexible electrodes that would let partially or fully paralyzed individuals move again3.

As one can see, technology is getting smaller, better and more efficient every day. The main problem isn’t really what to put these gadgets into, but what to power them with. Regular batteries require effort to replace, and it’s also not an option when we are talking about electronics that are actually smaller than the battery itself. There are some partial solutions like solar panels attached to some form of clothing or equipment, but the possibility of efficiently running a device on the heat our body produces isn’t out of the question – in fact, it’s already available4.

We’ve come a long way since the abacus ring and there is also a long journey ahead of us before any of this technology becomes wide-spread and common, but the opportunity to build a better, greener economy is always there. We just have to use it wisely.

About two weeks ago, the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) completed for this year its showcase of the very latest in high-tech electronics, from wearable electronics to curved-screen phones to extremely high-definition 4K televisions.

But it’s interesting that, according to a survey from Fortune magazine, many Americans have a much simpler wish than to own the latest and highest tech devices. They just want better batteries. Better means safer and longer lasting.

University of Utah engineers have developed the first room-temperature fuel cell that uses enzymes to help jet fuel produce electricity without needing to ignite the fuel. These new fuel cells can be used to power portable electronic devices. A study of the new cells appears online in the American Chemical Society journal ACS Catalysis. Researchers feel that JP-8 jet fuel power cells may offer a more potent and efficient means of powering mobile electronic devices.

Fuel cells convert energy into electricity through a chemical reaction between a fuel and an oxygen-rich source such as air. If a continuous flow of fuel is provided, a fuel cell can generate electricity cleanly and cheaply. Read the rest of this entry »

Three scientists, two from Japan and one from the United States, will share the 2014 Nobel Prize in physics for the invention of blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which have led to a new, environmentally friendly light source. Isamu Akasaki and Hiroshi Amano of Japan and Shuji Nakamura of the US were selected by the committee of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences to share the 8 million Swedish kronor ($1.1 million dollars) awarded.

Researchers are now developing a new technology called transient electronics. Electronic devices made from special materials, which are currently in the early stages of development, will perform for as long as needed and then completely dissolve, either on command or after a predetermined period of time.

The main component used in most electronic circuits is silicon. By using silicon sheets in extremely thin layers (in recent research, 20 nanometers is typical), reaction with water (dissolving rate) is fast enough to measure and control. Electronic devices made from specially designed degradable polymer composite materialscould be made to self-destruct as desired. This is the basis of much of the transient electronic technology being researched and developed.

There are many possible uses for such devices. Besides the obvious military applications, transient electronic devices would have many medical applications, such as Read the rest of this entry »

Last year, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) released a report on the progress and leadership within the industry concerning green initiatives. The report contains over two dozen case studies from various CE companies illustrating challenges and accomplishments in their environmental efforts. It also documents and illustrates green practices across the industry.

Sony’s development of SoRPlas, its proprietary recycled plastic, is just one example of how consumer electronics companies are becoming more environmentally friendly, according to CEA‘s latest sustainability report. Plastic scrap from leftover optical discs, transparent sheets, and used water bottles is crushed, washed and converted to SoRPlas. Traditional recycled plastics contain about 30 percent recycled materials. In SoRPlas the recycled content can be as high as 99 percent. Read the rest of this entry »